Psychology thrives in adversity. The 20th century's two world wars shone a light on just how valuable this youthful science (psychology) is for forward-thinking, progressive societies. From the need to screen soldiers for vulnerability to post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to refining the art of persuasive communication, psychology proved invaluable during, and in the aftermath of, industrialised military conflicts. Without comparing Covid-19 to a war, the current global public health crisis has also drawn renewed attention to psychology's vital role in contemporary society.
My own appreciation of psychology began with a visit to a community library in Liverpool, UK in the 1980s. There was only one psychology book in my local library at that time: The Dilemma of a Muslim Psychologist by Malik Badri. This tiny yellow book had illustrations, which spoke to the teenager in me. It is a brilliant book and it was my introduction to the world of Freud, Jung, Skinner and Watson.
Like many people, I initially thought that psychology was solely about mental illness and therapy. As an undergraduate student, however, I soon learned that the science of "why we do what we do" was usefully applied in many other areas of modern life.
For example, psychology informs how best to influence people's purchasing decisions in advertising. So it is not surprising that John Watson, the founder of behaviourism, ended up vice president at J Walter Thompson, one of the world's largest advertising agencies. Psychology still remains central to marketing and advertising. In the same vein, it contributes to effective health messaging and strategies to encourage society-wide pro-social behaviours, such as organ donation and safer driving.
In my second year at university, one of my favourite professors, Dr Sue Thomas (no relation), left to become an organisational psychologist. She had previously taught me social psychology: how people influence each other and why people often work less productively in groups. She was now going off to practice what she preached, helping large corporations improve workforce productivity, morale and engagement.
Organisational psychology, a relatively new profession, has blossomed. In 2014, the US Bureau of Labour's Occupational Outlook Handbook listed it as the single fastest-growing career of the coming decade. Organisational psychologists have also made considerable contributions to equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI). According to LinkedIn, demand for EDI roles – a good fit for psychologists – increased by 71 per cent between 2015 and 2020.
By my third year of university, I was wide awake to the broader potential of psychology. The internet was coming of age, and I became increasingly interested in the interplay between emerging technologies and our prehistoric minds. The prominent intersections were artificial intelligence and human-computer interaction. These are areas where many psychologists find a natural home.
Psychology is critical to mental health care, but it also deals with much more than depression
All the big names in tech – Apple, Google, Microsoft, Facebook – have psychologists on the payroll. Beyond the tech giants, a Forbes report said that tech-based mental health start-ups attracted a record-setting 1.5 billion investment during 2020. Many of these start-ups, the ones most likely to succeed, will include psychologists in their teams as they attempt to offer tech-mediated psychological therapies and services.
Even after graduation and throughout my career, I continue to discover new areas where psychology has positively impacted society. Aromachology, for example, is a scientific exploration of the relationships between psychology and fragrance technology. Yes, psychologists work in the perfume industry, too. Aviation psychology looks at how human factors impact the safe operation of aircraft and broader aviation systems. There are even groups of psychologists who help deradicalise extremists.
In more recent years, I've also become aware of environmental psychology. This field is vital to all our futures. Environmental psychology basically looks at the impact our environments have on our behaviours and well-being but also looks at how our behaviours and attitudes affect our environments. Most people now accept that massive changes in behaviour and mindset are required if we have any hope of mitigating climate change. Psychologists are key players in the team for this task.
The scope of psychology is vast; it includes health psychology, sport psychology, forensic psychology, educational psychology and more. Furthermore, psychology training provides in-demand skill sets such as data analysis, team building, active listening and stress management. Such skills make graduates of psychology programmes valuable wherever they find employment.
None of this detracts from the excellent services provided by psychologists working in mental health. The demand for clinical psychologists, counsellors and psychotherapists has never been greater. Covid-19 has put mental health in the mainstream and reduced social stigma.
Psychology is critical to mental health care, but it also deals with much more than depression, anxiety and psychosis. Unfortunately, some people still can't see psychology as anything other than being focused on mental health. This is a big miss, and in-demand skill sets can remain underdeveloped or under-utilised. Perhaps a positive legacy of the pandemic could be to shed further light on psychology's widespread social good.
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What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Getting there
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly to Johannesburg or Cape Town daily. Flights cost from about Dh3,325, with a flying time of 8hours and 15 minutes. From there, fly South African Airlines or Air Namibia to Namibia’s Windhoek Hosea Kutako International Airport, for about Dh850. Flying time is 2 hours.
The stay
Wilderness Little Kulala offers stays from £460 (Dh2,135) per person, per night. It is one of seven Wilderness Safari lodges in Namibia; www.wilderness-safaris.com.
Skeleton Coast Safaris’ four-day adventure involves joining a very small group in a private plane, flying to some of the remotest areas in the world, with each night spent at a different camp. It costs from US$8,335.30 (Dh30,611); www.skeletoncoastsafaris.com
'Brazen'
Director: Monika Mitchell
Starring: Alyssa Milano, Sam Page, Colleen Wheeler
Rating: 3/5
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
MATCH INFO
Day 2 at Mount Maunganui
England 353
Stokes 91, Denly 74, Southee 4-88
New Zealand 144-4
Williamson 51, S Curran 2-28
THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
AUSTRALIA SQUAD
Tim Paine (captain), Sean Abbott, Pat Cummins, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Moises Henriques, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Will Pucovski, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Wade, David Warner
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
PROFILE OF CURE.FIT
Started: July 2016
Founders: Mukesh Bansal and Ankit Nagori
Based: Bangalore, India
Sector: Health & wellness
Size: 500 employees
Investment: $250 million
Investors: Accel, Oaktree Capital (US); Chiratae Ventures, Epiq Capital, Innoven Capital, Kalaari Capital, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Piramal Group’s Anand Piramal, Pratithi Investment Trust, Ratan Tata (India); and Unilever Ventures (Unilever’s global venture capital arm)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
In Search of Mary Shelley: The Girl Who Wrote Frankenstein
By Fiona Sampson
Profile
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
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More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
if you go
